Pin and ball handling mechanism for bowling pin spotting machines



Aug. 17, 1965 J. M. ERNST 3,201,123-

PIN AND BALL HANDLING MECHANISM FOR BOWLING PIN SPOTTING MACHINES Filed April 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

JOHN M. ERNST ATTORN EY Aug. .17, 1965 J. M. ERNST PIN AND BALL HANDLING MECHANISM FOR BOWLING PIN SPOTTING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2'7, 1.959

FIG. 2

T M 5 N R E WM I ATTORN EY.

United States Patent Office SQZMJZE Patented Aug. l7, 1965 3,201,123 PIN AND BALL HANDLING MECHANISM FDR BOWLING PIN POTTING MACHINES John M. Ernst, Shelby, Ohio, assignor to American Machine 8r Foundry (Zompany, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 8%,221

10 Claims. (El. 273-43) The present invention relates to bowling ball and pin handling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for removing a bowling ball only from the pit of a bowling alley to a bowling ball return device.

Thepresent invention is characterized by the provision in the pit of improved means operative to urge a ball deposited into the pit toward an opening in the kick-back of the alley to a ball return device. Mechanism embodying the invention preferably comprises a bounce board or platform positioned beneath the pit conveyor and a ball guide secured thereon which coact to urge a ball laterally of the pit in a direct arcuate path of travel to a ball exit in one of the kick-backs. This looping action causes a ball to be returned to the bowler with a minimum of elapsed time. Further, there is provided an improved device for preventing pins from interfering with the exit of balls from the pit. In the present invention there is provided a wedge-shaped member positioned beneath the pit conveyor adjacent the ball exit. Pins on the conveyor delivered to the pin deflector are conducted thereby away from the ball exit, permitting free egress of balls only out of the pit.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to.

provide novel mechanism for removing a ball from the .pit of a bowling alley.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel ball handling mechanism utilizing a bounce board beneath the pit conveyor and a ball guide secured thereto coacting to conduct a bowling ball from the pit of a bowling alley.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel ball handling mechanism which coacts with the backstop of a bowling alley to urge balls laterally across the pit in an. arcuate path of travel to a ball discharge station.

, An added object of the present invention is to provide a novel pin handling mechanism to urge pins away from the ball discharge station in the pit of a bowling alley.

Another object of the present invention is to provide -a wedge-shaped pin deflector located beneath the pit conveyor adjacent the ball exit for preventing the interference of pins with the exit of balls from the pit of a bowling alley.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses. In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, like characters of reference have been applied to corresponding parts throughout the several views which make up the drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the pit end of a conventional alley provided with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

-shown in FIGURE 3 illustrating its operative relationship with the pit conveyor and a pin thereon.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, the bowling ball return mechanism chosen to illustrate a prefered embodiment of the invention is shown mounted in the pit P of a con- .ventional bowling alley A. Bowling balls It) and pins ll, removed into pit P from the playing surface of alley A, are deposited onto the upper lap of a conveyor or travelling apron 12 which, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, is pit-wide. Conveyor 12, which preferably is continuously in motion in pit P in the direction of arrow B, FIGURE 1, describes an inclined path of travel around rollers 14 and 16 mounted on transverse shafts 18 and 2%., having their ends suitably supported in plates 2'32 and 24. Further, rollers 14 and 16 are supported on shafts l8 and 20 in plates 22 and 24 to incline conveyor 12 toward plate 22,, for reasons set forth hereinbelow. This conveyor 12 is inclined toward the rear of pit P and toward plate 22 at one side thereof. Shafts 18 and 2t? and rollers 14 and 16 mounted thereon are driven in any convenient manner in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGURE 2 to deliver balls 14) and pins 11 to the rear of pit P. Plates 22 and 24, are, in turn, secured to the con ventional kickbacks K of alley A, as shown in FIGURE 1 39 located at opposite sides of conveyor 12 and suitably secured to the inner faces of plates22 and 24 respectively operate to direct pins on conveyorllZ over chute 21 and into elevating mechanism M.

Conveyor 12, chute 21, pin elevating mechanism M and plows 28 and 3t? may be similar in construction and operation to those shown in Holloway et al. Patent 2,767,- 983 for Bowling Pin Elevating Mechanism. Only so much of a disclosure thereof as is necessary for a complete understanding of the present invention is included herein in the interests ofbrevity.

Platform 32 is mounted in an inclined manner beneath the upper lap of conveyor 12 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 on brackets 34 secured to plates 22 and 24. Platform 32 is mounted in a manner similar to conveyor 12 with an inclination from the front to the rear of pit P and with an added inclination from plate 24 toward plate 22 for reasons set forth hereinbelow.

Mounted on platform 32 adjacent edge 33 thereof is a ball guide strip 36. Strip 36 is provided with a beveled edge 37 which is generally parallel to edge 33 except for angular portion 38 adjacent side plate 22 (see FIGURE 1).

In operation, a ball Ill deposited on conveyor 12 gravitates or is carried thereon rearwardly toward elevating mechanism M until it engages backstop member 40 supported transversely above conveyor 12 on brackets 42 se conveyor 12. A ball 10 thus deflected is provided with a rebound direction vector opposite to the direction of travel of conveyor 12. The combined direction vector effecting ball 16 coacting with the inclined mounting of platform 32, strip 36 and conveyor 12 results in directing ball 10 laterally in pit P in an arcuate path of travel as shown, for example, by arrow D, FIGURE 1, toward ball opening 46 in plate 22. This looping coaction of backstop 40, conveyor 12, strip 36 and platform 32 results in delivering ball 18 to ball opening 46 in a minimum of elapsed time. A ball lltl delivered into pit P without sufficient forward momentum to engage backstop 40 will gravitate along the beveled edge 37 of strip 36 toward ball opening 46. Thus, balls 10 regardless of the momentum with which they are elivered into the pit will be speedily conducted to ball opening 4-6 in plate 22.

As a ball it approaches plate 22, it is delivered into an unsupported portion of conveyor 12 formed by a substantially triangular drop off notch 43 in platform Notch 48 is operative to maintain ball lltl adjacent ball opening 46 for a period of time sufficient to ensure that ball it) has actuated the latch mechanism of ball door 49. Uponactuation of the latch mechanism, ball door 59 opens, permitting ball 16 to emerge from pit P into a suitable ball return device R located preferably between two side-by-side or adjacent bowling alleys. In addition, the drop experienced by ball lull gives it some momentum in rolling out of pit P.

Ball doors 49 and ball return R may be similar in construction and operation to those disclosed in Zuercher et al. Patent 2,765,172 for Bowling Ball Handling and Return Mechanism and further disclosure thereof is omitted in the interests of brevity.

Referring to FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, to prevent pins 11 from exiting with or interfering with the exit of ball 19 from pit P and thereby disrupt the operation of the ball return device R, or the elevating mechanism M, there is provided a pin deflector member fastened, as by screws, to the upper surface of platform 32 adjacent front edge 31 thereof on the ball door side as shown in FIGURE 1.

Pin deflector 50 is preferably wedge-shaped and of generally right triangular cross-section of uniform height with the outstanding leg 52 at one side thereof substantially longer than the outstanding leg 54 at the other edge thereof, thus forming an oblique tapered edge 57 from one side of deflector St) to the other. (See FIGURE 4.)

Pin deflector Stl is mounted on platform 32 with its shorter side 54 adjacent edge 31 and its longer side 52. adjacent ball opening 46, with its uniform upstanding edge 58 adjacent the ball-exit side edge of platform 32.

Since alleys are provided with a ball opening on either left or right side of the pit thereof, FIGUR 1 illustrates pin deflector 50 in position for an alley having a ball opening on the left side of the pit, as viewed from the head end of the alley. FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 illustrate a pin deflector Si) in position for an alley having a ball opening on the right side of the pit, as viewed from the head end of the alley. It will be understood, however, that the principles of construction and operation for both views is identical.

Pin deflector 59 is preferably formed of suitable plastic and is positioned on platform 32 adjacent the front edge 31 thereof under conveyor 12. (See FEGURE 3.) As a pin 11 deposited on conveyor 12, is carried past deflector 50 on conveyor 12, the inclination of the upper surface 56 thereof is operative to urge a pin 11 away from the ball-exit side edge of platform 32, along oblique edge 57 or deflector 5i) and toward the middle of conveyor 12 away from ball opening 46. Thus pins 11 are pre vented from exiting with or interfering with the exit of a ball from pit P.

It will be understood that while pin deflector 5th is preferably formed of plastic, other rigid materials, such as wood or metal, would be equally suitable.

Thus there is provided in the present invention a simple, efficient mechanism for handling balls and pins deposited into the pit of a bowling alley.

What I claim is:

1. Ball and pin handling apparatus for use with a bowling alley having a pit at one end and a kickback at each side of said pit comprising an endless travelling con- Neyor means mounted in said pit, means for travelling said conveyor means to move balls and pins thereon from the playing surface of said alley rearwardly of said pit, means in said pit for separating balls from pins on said conveyor, a support, means inclinedly mounting said support beneath the upper surface of said conveyor, a ball guide strip, means mounting said guide strip on the upper surface of said support beneath said conveyor in spaced relationship with said separating means, said separating means, said conveyor, said support and said guide strip coacting to urge balls laterally across said pit in an arcuate path of travel, and a discharge station comprising an opening in a kickback at one side of said pit through which said balls move to a ball return device.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 including a deflector member, means mounting said member on said support beneath said conveyor and in front of said opening in said kickback whereby pins on said conveyor are urged by said deflector away from said opening.

3. in a bowling alley having a pit at one end, a ball and pin handling mechanism comprising a travelling conveyor in said pit, means for driving said conveyor to travel balls and pins thereon from the playing surface of said alley r-carwardly of said pit, a support plate positioned beneath the upper surface of said conveyor, means mounting said plate inclinedly across said pit, a stop member, means mounting said stop member laterally across said pit a distance above the upper surface of said conveyor less than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball and greater than the maximum diameter of a bowling pin for separating balls from pins on said conveyor, a ball guide, means mounting said guide on said support plate beneath said conveyor and in spaced relationship with said stop member, said guide provided with a beveled edge substantially parallel to said stop member, said conveyor, said stop member, said support plate and said ball guide coacting to urge a ball engaged by said stop member laterally across said pit in an arcuate path of travel, and .a ball discharge station at the side of said pit adacent the lower section of said plate and substantially in alignment with said ball path to which balls are delivered to a ball return device.

'4. The invention as defined in claim 3 including a deflector member, means mounting said deflector member on the edge of said support beneath said conveyor, in front of and adjacent said discharge station whereby pins on said conveyor are urged by said deflector away from said ball discharge stations.

5. A pin handling device for use in the pit of a bowling alley, said pit provided with a travel-ling b-all'and pin conveyor, a support positioned beneath said conveyor for supporting said conveyor under the weight of pins and balls thereon and a ball discharge station adjacent one side of said pit, said pin handling device comprising a substantially wedge-shaped member, means mounting said member on said support adjacent said ball discharge station, said member being positioned on said support benea'th said conveyor with its tapered edge remote fro-m the side of said pit whereby pins on said support travelled past said wedge-shaped member on said conveyor are urged by said member fuom the edge of said surface away from said ball dischasge station, thereby preventing pins from exiting therethr ough.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said member 18 generally of right triangular cross section and uniform height and wherein the outstanding leg of said member adjacent said ball discharge station is substant ally longer than the outstanding leg at the other side thereof, said tapered edge thus formed being obliquely inclined toward the center of said pit whereby pins are positively urged therealong toward the center of said pit. '7. A pin deflecting device for use in the pit of a bowlmg alley having spaced kickbacks, and an endless belt conveyor extending transversely between said kick-backs, one of said kickbacks having an opening through which balls are ejected from said pit, comprising an elongated relatively thin wedge means adapted to be mounted adjacent and in front of said opening in said kick-back, said Wedge means being of generally right triangular cross section, having blunt ends, the outstanding leg of the one end being longer than the outstanding leg of the other end and having a compound tapering pin deflecting surface, at least a part of which is adapted to be located beneath said endless conveyor belt.

8. A pin and ball handling system for pit of a bowling alley comprising a substantially horizontal pit-wide endless conveyor system having a belt with upper and lower sections, means for driving said system so that said upper section of said belt moves toward the rear of the pit, means interposed between said upper and lower sections for supporting said upper section of said belt when said belt is deflected downward under the weight of ball and pins, a ball return opening located in one side of said pit, means cooperating with said supporting means for causing a ball on said upper section to roll toward said ball returntopening when said belt moves toward the rear of the pit and means for limiting the downward deflection of said upper section over an area forward of said ball return opening and in proximity to said one side to cause the belt over said deflection limiting means to be higher than the surrounding downwardly deflected area of the belt to thereby prevent ball and pins from jamming and blocking said ball return opening by causingthe pins to roll away from the side in which the ball return opening is located.

"9. A pin and ball handling system for the pit of a bowling alley comprising .a substantially horizontal pitwide endless conveyor system having a belt with upper and lower sections, means for driving said system so that said upper section of said belt moves toward the rear of the pit, means interposed between said upper and lower sections for supporting said upper section of said belt when said belt is deflected downward due to the Weight of ball and pins, means cooperating with said supporting means for causing a ball on said upper section to roll toward one side of said pit when said belt moves toward the rear of the pit, and means for limiting the downward deflection of said upper section over a given area forward of said ball return opening and in proximity to said one side to cause the belt over said deflection limiting means to be higher than the surrounding downwardly deflected area of the belt thus causing pins to roll away from said one side.

:19. A pin and ball handling system for the pit of a bowling alley comprising a substantially horizontal pitwide endless conveyor system having a belt with upper and lower sections, means for driving said system so that said upper section of said belt moves toward the rear of the pit, means interposed between said upper and lower sections for supporting said upper section of said belt when said belt is deflected downward due to the weight of ball and pins, a ball return opening located in one side of said pit, means cooperating with said supporting means for causing a ball on said upper section to roll towards said ball return opening when said belt moves toward the rear of the pit, a pin deflectingelemerrt beneath said upper section of said belt, means for supporting said member to thereby limit the downward deflection of said upper section over an area forward of said ball return opening and in proximity to said one side to thereby cause the belt over said member to be higher than the surrounding area which is deflected a greater distance than the area over said member thus causing the pins to roll away from said higher area on the side in which the ball return opening is located.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,502,692 7/24 Sterret 198-76 2,315,880 4/43 Stiles.

2,388,708 ll/ Bates 273-43 2,622,879 12/52 Frye 273-43 2,626,802 1/53 Simpson 273-43 2,765,172 10/56 Zuercher et al. 273-49 2,767,983 /56 Holloway et al. 273-43 2,785,898 3/57 Zuercher 273-43 2,838,390 5/58 Greulich 198-187 2,978,247 4/ 61 Mitchell et al. 273-43 X 3,059,925 10/62 Albrecht 273-49 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. ELLIS E. FULLER, Examiner. 

1. BALL AND PIN HANDLING APPARATUS FOR USE WITH A BOWLING ALLEY HAVING A PIT AT ONE END AND A KICKBACK AT EACH SIDE OF SAID PIT COMPRISING AN ENDLESS TRAVELLING CONVEYOR MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID PIT, MEANS FOR TRAVELLING SAID CONVEYOR MEANS TO MOVE BALLS AND PINS THEREON FROM THE PLAYING SURFACE OF SAID ALLEY REARWARLY OF SAID PIT, MEANS IN SAID PIT FOR SEPARATING BALLS FROM PINS ON SAID CONVEYOR, A SUPPORT, MEANS INCLINEDLY MOUNTING SAID SUPPORT BENEATH THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID CONVEYOR, A BALL GUIDE STRIP, MEANS MOUNTING SAID GUIDE STRIP ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID SUPPORT BENEATH SAID CONVEYOR IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID SEPARATING MEANS, SAID SEPARATING MEANS, SAID CONVEYOR, SAID SUPPORT AND SAID GUIDE STRIP COACTING TO URGE BALLS LATERALLY ACROSS SAID PIT IN AN ARCUATE PATH OF TRAVEL, AND A DISCHARGE STATION COMPRISING AN OPENING IN A KICKBACK AT ONE SIDE OF SAID PIT THROUGH WHICH SAID BALLS MOVE TO A BALL RETURN DEVICE. 